- #1
shraps
- 3
- 0
I seem to be having trouble conceptualizing this question that I was asked to solve.
In the problem, I have a rope of length L held so that the bottom of the rope barely touches the surface below it. At this point, the rope is released and falls to the surface. The question involves the mass of the rope that is still in the air at any given time.
After analyzing the situation, I have decided that obviously the normal force applied to the rope by the surface after parts of the rope touch the surface effects the way in which the rope falls. It is for this reason that the rope does not fall in a straight line, it is effected by the rope already on the surface.
However, I have found no equations which help me to relate the mass of the rope above the surface with the height of the top of the rope, original mass, original length, and force of gravity.
I am fairly sure that this requires the use of Newton's Second Law for Continuously Changing Masses, but I still can't quite grasp how to utilize this, and my book does an extremely poor job of explaning it.
Thanks for the help guys,
shraps
In the problem, I have a rope of length L held so that the bottom of the rope barely touches the surface below it. At this point, the rope is released and falls to the surface. The question involves the mass of the rope that is still in the air at any given time.
After analyzing the situation, I have decided that obviously the normal force applied to the rope by the surface after parts of the rope touch the surface effects the way in which the rope falls. It is for this reason that the rope does not fall in a straight line, it is effected by the rope already on the surface.
However, I have found no equations which help me to relate the mass of the rope above the surface with the height of the top of the rope, original mass, original length, and force of gravity.
I am fairly sure that this requires the use of Newton's Second Law for Continuously Changing Masses, but I still can't quite grasp how to utilize this, and my book does an extremely poor job of explaning it.
Thanks for the help guys,
shraps